1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to an electrical connector electrically connecting a semiconductor package such as an IC package to a printed circuit board.
2. Description of Related Art
As we all know, a conventional electrical connector generally comprises an insulative housing having a plurality of terminals, a stiffener surrounding the housing and formed with an engaging portion, a cover rotatablely mounted on the insulative housing and having a tongue portion, and a lever engaging with the tongue portion of the cover. When an IC package is positioned in the housing, the cover is rotated to a close position and fastens the IC package at the close position via an engagement between the lever and the engaging portion of the cover. The IC package is fixed in the housing by operating the lever and the cover. However, it is complicated to assemble the cover and the lever onto the housing. Simultaneously, it may take much more space to position the lever and the cover, so that it is difficult to apply the electrical connector in a printed circuit board without enough space. In addition, the cover and the lever have special shapes, thus a manufacture cost of the whole connector is increased.
To solve the above-mentioned problem, an improved electrical connector 1′ is shown in FIG. 1 for electrically connecting an IC package 2′ and a printed circuit broad 3′. The connector 1′ includes an insulative housing 4′ and a plurality of terminals (not shown) received in the insulative housing 4′. The insulative housing 4′ is configured to a rectangular flat board and defines two deflectable latches 5′ extending symmetrically and upwardly from two opposed ends of each side thereof. An accepting cavity for receiving the IC package is defined by all the latches 5′ and the flat board. Each latch 5′ defines an oblique leading section 51′ for leading the IC package 2′ to install into the accepting cavity of the connector 1′. The latches 5′ latch the sides of the IC package 2′ to retain the IC package 2′ in the electrical connector 1′. When the IC package 2′ is retained in the connector 1′, the latches 5′ press a top surface of the IC package 2′ to prevent the IC package 2′ from falling and get a reliable electrically interconnection between the IC package 2′ and the connector 1′.
However, the latches 5′ of the electrical connector 1′ above-mentioned are usually defined above a region of the flat board of the insulative housing 4′ where the terminals are received. In this case, the latches 5′ of the electrical connector 1′ are difficult to be molded with the insulative housing 1′.
In view of the above, it is strongly desired to provide an improved electrical connector to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantage.